Official says pension changes hurt Madison police budget

MADISON  The chairman of the Police Commission criticized selectmen Tuesday, saying they are squeezing the police operating budget to pay for escalating police pension costs.

Cynthia Baran

Published
12:00 am EST, Thursday, February 26, 2004

"We are not responsible for the union contract that led to the higher pension costs," Police Commission Chairman Robert Cerosky said.

Police union contract negotiations had been dragging out for a year and a half when former First Selectman David LaFemina stepped in, Cerosky said. The attorney the Police Commission had been using in the negotiations was fired and LaFemina brought in attorney Judith Ravel to try to bring a settlement to the negotiations.

The police contract that resulted reduced the years of service required for eligibility for retirement from 25 to 20. Moreover, it allowed calculation of overtime pay into the pension formula. Formerly, pension benefits were calculated on base pay.

That change, effective three years ago, coupled with poor performance of the stock market in that period, forced the town to contribute six-figure sums annually to meet police pension fund obligations.

"The Board of Selectmen handles the towns pension programs and they fouled up. Now, theyre taking it out on the Police Commission," Cerosky said.

Cerosky noted that even with the enhanced pension benefits, not one officer has retired since the last contract was ratified.

Cerosky said the police operating budget has been a "flat budget" for four years.

"Our budget has increased an average of 2.2 percent over the last four years," he said.

Monday night, First Selectman Tom Scarpati said that although the town should be putting $342,000 into the police pension fund this year, it is going to hold off in the expectation that the police union will agree to renegotiate the pension terms.

Scarpati stressed that he is not looking to lay off police officers.

The operating budget the selectmen have recommended to the Board of Finance for the Police Department provides for 24 officers and the chief, Scarpati said. The authorized strength of the department is 28. Scarpati said the town will come up with a retirement-incentive offer that he believes will be appealing enough to entice at least two or three officers to retire.

Cerosky said Tuesday that the police contract provides that pension terms will not be part of negotiations again until 2006.

"They (the selectmen) are trapping us," Cerosky said. "They cant open pension talks in the coming contract unless the union agrees to open pension talks, and theres no guarantee thats going to happen."

"As police commissioners, we have the responsibility to make the town safe," Cerosky said.

"Were trying to do the right thing for the town. If we have to let officers go, its going to affect patrols and its going to take a long time to recover.

"Even if you reduce the force and you have sergeants or lieutenants on patrol, you have to pay them at their rank  thats required by contract.